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Biofuels Info Service

 

Nature and poverty related information for civil society organisations

and researchers in (potential) producer countries

 

Servicio electronico de informaciones sobre biocombustibles, intro en castellano

Natureandpoverty.net and Biofuels

 

Natureandpoverty.net is a knowledge exchange and learning initiative co-ordinated by IUCN Netherlands Committee which is used and supported by several of their Dutch- based and Southern members and friends. Welcome to this knowledge community!

 

The introduction of biofuels has been applauded at first by many as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel consumption, and an opportunity for farmers to gain some extra income. Fossil fuel scarcity and prices, and the aim to lower CO2 emission, have resulted in a boom of biofuel production on agricultural lands; the most important feedstocks being sugarcane, corn, palmoil and more recently soy. However, many (potential) impacts of the production of such biofuels - or agrofuels - have been highlighted since, such as forest destruction, increased land use competition, rising food prices and even negative CO2 balances by direct or indirect land use changes. Especially because information is booming, we considered it useful to give readers a selective guide through documents - especially on livelihoods/landscape impacts of biofuels and the progress in standard setting, and point to some useful internet-based information sources of others. Please send comments and new materials to the editor: heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl.

 

 Check out info on the Indirect land Use Change (ILUC) debate directly through this LINK.

 

Disclaimer: We have downloaded materials from many different sources, always with the reference to the authors. However, if you find your document on this Wiki against your will, please let us know as soon as possible: heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl. We hope our website informs decision-making, but self-evidently, we cannot take responsibility for decisions based on the info sources presented.

For more information on the Natureandpoverty.net programme please visit: http://www.natureandpoverty.net/

Biofuels Info Service Themes:

Temas: introducciones en espanol.

 

Livelihood, landscape & biodiversity studies and forecasts

About expected and real life effects of biofuels

The land use and livelihoods aspects of biofuels/agrofuel production - especially in developing counties - form the core theme of our information service. This section gives an overview of basic considerations before starting with any biofuel crop, and it gives some highlights of studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America and other areas.

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Proceedings & presentations of conferences

Debates taking off in the 2007-2008 period

If any topic knew a boom of events and debates over the years 2007 and 2008 it has been the topic of biofuels and the debate has not stopped. Here, we present some highlights of proceedings of influential debates over those first 2 years.

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Position statements, policy notes and advocacy letters

Examples of taking a stand

This section is quite unique as it gives an overview of the position statements on biofuels of various Natureandpoverty.net partners and infuential expert organizations. If you write one yourself...here's your inspiration! It also offers examples of lobby letters.

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Bioenergy potential and technological development

Some references to the technological discussions

Experts talk about the first, second and third generation biofuels, and of their potential. What does this mean and what is happening in the three categories of technological developments? On this wiki a humble contribution only..... 

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Standard setting and its progress

EU and elsewhere

That unregulated production of (first generation) biofuels may have negative impacts, is widely acknowledged by now. But what can standard setting and certification do to control such effects? This section deals with a variety of initiatives and their progress.

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Bioenergy development policies 

General, in EU and developing countries

This section is only recently created to gather materials on biofuel policies in developing countries (and how they relate to the EU & US policies). It also reports on the land use and CO2 EFFECTS of bioenergy policies in general.
 >To introtext, documents and links

 

Sustainable energy alternatives

Beyond biofuels?

First, second or third generation biofuels....or should one rather invest in other energy sources such as solar and wind energy, or locally produced biogas? Here, we mainly refer to other useful info sources.

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Knowledge Platform corners

 

 

Dutch NGO "Biomass platform"'

This is an archive for the Dutch Biomass Platform, coordinated by IUCN NL, managed by heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl. and femke.tonneijck@iucn.nl

>To introtext, documents and links

 

Biofuel Knowledge Network Plate River Basin/Rede de Conhecimento sobre Biocombustíveis na Bacia do Prata

This is a space offered to the academic- NGO knowledge network about ethanol and biodiesel production in the Plate River Basin, South America. Managed by Cristiane Acevedo biocrisazevedo@gmail.com

To introtext, documents and links

  

Agrofuels Knowledge Platform, Netherlands

A space for the academic-NGO expert platform on agrofuels. This platform ihas been supported by the Development Policy Review Network (DPRN), and was coordinated by Both ENDS, Karen Witsenburg kw (at) bothends.org Natureandpoverty.net facilitated the knowledge exchange and debates. Heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl.  

>To introtext, documents and links 

 

Indigenous Peoples and Biofuels

For this issue see also under Livelihood, landscape and biodiversity studies / Indigenous Peoples.
  

It is now managed by Leo van der Vlist from NCIV: leo@nciv.net and supported by heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl for Natureandpoverty.net

>To introtext, documents and links